Later Liang (Sixteen Kingdoms)

Later Liang (後涼)
酒泉 (387–389),
三河 (389–396),
涼 (396–403)
386–403
Later Liang in the northwest
Later Liang in the northwest
CapitalGuzang
GovernmentMonarchy
Tian Wang 
• 386–400
Lü Guang
• 400
Lü Shao
• 401–403
Lü Zuan
• 403–406
Lü Long
History 
• Established
386
• Lü Guang's claiming of imperial title
396
• Southern Liang's and Northern Liang's independence
397
• Disestablished
403
• Lü Long's death
416
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Former Qin
Southern Liang (Sixteen Kingdoms)
Northern Liang
Later Qin
Today part ofChina
Kyrgyzstan

The Later Liang (simplified Chinese: 后凉; traditional Chinese: 後凉; pinyin: Hòu Liáng; 386–403) was a dynastic state of China and one of the Sixteen Kingdoms in Chinese history.[1] It was founded by the family of the Di ethnicity and given the prefix of "Later" in historiography to distinguish it with the Former Liang dynasty before them and the three Liang states (Southern, Northern and Western) that emerged during their collapse.

All rulers of the Later Liang proclaimed themselves "Heavenly King" (Tian Wang). The state's founder, Lü Guang initially took on lesser titles before declaring himself Heavenly King of Liang in 396, and so the state was only known as "Liang" (涼) from 396 to 403. The Later Liang at its peak controlled the Hexi Corridor in Gansu with Guzang (姑臧, in modern Wuwei, Gansu) as their capital. After the Southern Liang and Northern Liang broke away in 397, their territory was gradually reduced to their capital region in central Gansu.

  1. ^ Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. pp. 59–60. ISBN 0-8135-1304-9.

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